In addition to a handful of companies that have been contributing over the past year, there are currently 25 organizations engaged and supporting the Earth Commission and the Science-based Targets network: The Biodiversity Consultancy, BSR, CDP, Ceres, Conservation International, EAT Foundation, Future Earth, Global Environment Facility, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), International Resource Panel, IUCN, The Natural Capital Coalition, The Nature Conservancy, Ocean Conservancy, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), SYSTEMIQ, UN Global Compact, UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), UNEP-WCMC, We Mean Business Coalition (WMB), World Benchmarking Alliance, World Business Council for Sustainable Development, (WBCSD) World Economic Forum (WEF), World Resources Institute (WRI), and WWF.

The initiative involves a new approach to global commons as essential support systems for sustainable development that extend beyond national borders and sovereignty. The aim is to establish an Earth Target Platform which would consist of:

1. Earth Commission to develop basic science-based targets of the global commons including some 20 eminent Earth Commissioners who will be supported by Working Groups; and

2. the Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTI) to translate the overall science-based target to specific targets for sectors, cities, businesses. The science-based targets are an analogy to what was achieve in case of climate – a simple proxy for stabilizing climate system to below 20C above the pre-industrial level. The basic idea is to develop the same for biodiversity and other Earth support systems.

This working meeting will bring together a broad coalition of actors to finalize the execution plan for the Earth Commission and the Network/Issue Hubs of the Science-based Targets Initiative. The execution plan will be delivered to the leaders of all partner organizations and potential donors at the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos (22-25 Jan 2019).